Pioneer Hi-Bred Releases 108 New Corn Products for 2011

Jan 20, 2011

DES MOINES, Iowa - Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, is releasing 108 new Pioneer® brand corn[1] hybrids and integrated refuge products for growers across North America for the 2011 planting season. This new advancement class features 29 new genetic families and will continue to provide both genetic and technology options as part of Pioneer's right product for the right acre placement strategy to help maximize grower productivity.

The 2011 corn lineup from Pioneer features three industry-leading releases:

The first class of Optimum®AcreMax[2]TM1 (AM1) insect protection includes 38 new AM1 products, which offers an in-the-bag, integrated and reduced refuge solution for corn rootworm (CRW) and allows growers the flexibility to plant the required corn borer refuge up to one-half mile away.

The first class of Optimum®AcreMaxTMRW (AMRW) insect protection includes 13 new AMRW products, which offers growers the opportunity to utilize integrated CRW technology on all their acres when used as a refuge for corn borer.

The first class of Optimum®AQUAmax[3]TMincludes five new families and eight new hybrids to help growers minimize risk and maximize productivity under drought stress conditions.

"The new genetic families and hybrids released in 2011 are the result of increased efforts in localized testing, featuring evaluation and advancement decisions made by local area management and agronomy teams," says Bob Heimbaugh, North American director of corn product evaluation for Pioneer. "The new IMPACT[4]TM(Intensively Managed Product Advancement, Characterization and Training) trial system is providing the opportunity to test and select from an increased number of genetic families and help ensure these new families are tested in the right environments to fulfill local area and grower needs."

This new class will continue to provide genetic diversity and top-end yield potential combined with industry-leading test weight and grain quality consistent with the results of the 2010 NCGA corn grower's contest. Growers planting Pioneer hybrids won 10 of the national categories with nine different hybrids, and six of the seven growers with yields exceeding 300 bushels per acre planted Pioneer hybrids.

"The new Optimum AQUAmax hybrids offer growers additional choices to help minimize their risk and maximize their productivity under water-limited environments," says Monica Patterson, senior marketing manager for technology launch at Pioneer. "Pioneer understands drought tolerance is a complex combination of traits, so it has combined more than 50 years of breeding and selection experience with new selection tools such as the proprietary Accelerated Yield Technology (AYT[5]TM) system to develop these new Optimum®AQUAmax hybrids."

"This new class of hybrids reflects the technology innovation of our industry and adoption trend of growers right now," Heimbaugh says. "Pioneer is excited to lead the industry in delivering hybrid, trait and system choices that reduce refuge, maximize yields and extend the durability of in-plant Bt technology to growers."

For more information about these new hybrids and technologies, visit www.pioneer.com/corn[6] or contact a local Pioneer sales professional.